Making the switch to a homemade diet for your dog can feel overwhelming at first, but having the right tools can make the process much easier and more efficient. In this post, I’ll share some of my favorite products that help streamline meal prep, storage, and feeding.

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When feeding a homemade diet, proper supplementation is essential to ensure your dog is getting all the necessary vitamins and minerals. Instead of measuring out each supplement individually at every meal, many pet owners find it easier to prepare a large batch in advance.

There are two common ways to incorporate supplements into your dog’s diet:
✔ Mixing them directly into a batch of food during meal prep.
✔ Pre-measuring and storing them separately to add at mealtime.

Crushing Tablets for Easy Mixing

If your supplements come in tablet form, you’ll need to crush them into a powder for even distribution. While some people use a plastic bag and hammer, I’ve found that the following tools make the process much easier:

✔ Mortar and pestle – A simple, effective tool for grinding tablets into a fine powder.
✔ Coffee grinder – Great for breaking down multiple tablets quickly and achieving a very fine consistency.

📌 Prepping supplements in bulk not only saves time but also ensures accuracy, making mealtime much more efficient!

A meat grinder isn’t a must-have for feeding a homemade diet, but for those preparing large volumes of meat, it can significantly reduce prep time and make the process more efficient. If you find yourself spending too much time cutting up meat by hand, a grinder may be worth considering.

Commercial vs. Smaller Meat Grinders

✔ Commercial-grade grinders – These heavy-duty machines can handle small, soft bones like chicken and rabbit bones, but they come with a higher price tag. Many of my clients use a Weston #12 Meat Grinder
✔ Smaller, budget-friendly grinders – These are more cost-effective for grinding meat and organs but should never be used for bones, as they aren’t built for that level of toughness. LEM is a trusted brand and has a countertop grinder more appropriate for light, occasional use.

Using a KitchenAid Grinder Attachment

✔ If you already own a KitchenAid mixer, you can purchase a grinder attachment as a budget-friendly alternative.
⚠ Warning: Do not attempt to grind bones with this attachment—it can overwork the motor and potentially damage your expensive mixer!

📌 While a grinder isn’t essential for everyone, it can be a game-changer for those who prep in bulk or want to streamline the process.

While cooking accessories aren’t required for a homemade diet, they can make meal prep much faster and more convenient—especially if you’re preparing cooked meals or need to batch-prep ingredients.

Instant Pot – A Time-Saving Kitchen Essential

I highly recommend using an Instant Pot for:
✔ Cooking carbs (such as rice, quinoa, or sweet potatoes) quickly and evenly.
✔ Making hard-boiled eggs in minutes with easy peeling.
✔ Preparing bone broth much faster than traditional simmering methods.

An Instant Pot is a versatile investment—not only does it make homemade dog food prep easier, but it can also be used for your own meals!

Crockpot (Slow Cooker) – Hands-Free Cooking for Busy Schedules

For those feeding cooked diets but short on time, a crockpot (slow cooker) is an excellent solution.

✔ Set it and forget it – Simply add all ingredients and let it cook while you sleep or work.
✔ Great for batch cooking – Some pet owners prepare small nightly meals in a 2-quart crockpot, while others prefer to cook larger batches in a 7-quart crockpot and store portions for later.

📌 Personally, I cook my dog Milo’s meals nightly, but since he’s a large dog, a 2-quart crockpot is too small—a larger one is much more practical.

✔ Additional use – Crockpots can also be used to cook carbohydrates separately, making meal prep even more efficient.

Electric Roaster – Similar to a Crockpot/ Slow Cooker but can handle much larger volumes

✔ Great for batch cooking for larger dogs or dogs with higher calorie requirements
✔ This one has been a favorite of clients for durability

I use these bins to thaw meat before prep and to mix all of the ingredients together. I find it is much easier to mix when the food is spread out rather than in a really deep container. Storage containers also work well when making large batches.